National carrier Air India will have to wait for the `4,000 crore promised in the recent Union budget to pay the backlog of salaries, incentives and other allowances to its staff, as per the directions of the deputy chief labour commissioner.
The labour chief’s order now makes it legally binding on the AI management to make the payment.
In a meeting between the Air India management, the Aviation Industry Employees Guild (AIEG) and the labour chief on Monday, it was agreed that the pending payments for the months of December 2011 to April 2012 (except January) would be made in May, when the promised sum reaches Air India coffers. The payment will cover all categories of employees, including pilots. The salaries for January were made earlier in February itself. AIEG general secretary George Abraham and AI’s assistant general manager for industrial relations, Meenakshi Kashyap were present during the meeting.
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Activist alleges threat by builders
Activist Aftaab Siddiqui has written a letter to the home minister, commissioner of police and the law and order department alleging threat to her life after she exposed the fraud by HDIL.
In the letter, Ms Siddiqui has said that there was a nexus between the builder lobby, the police and politicians who would try to harm her and her family due to her exposé wherein the builder allegedly defrauded residents as well as the civic body of `1,500 crore. The letter has also enumerated the number of cases she has dug up since 2008 along with the names of the builders who have been targeted. Ms Siddiqui has said that in the event of anything happening to her, the builders should be held responsible.
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Man arrested for raping mentally-challenged girl
The Naupada police on Monday has arrested a 22-year-old man for allegedly raping a mentally-challenged girl from the Rabodi area in Thane.
Nitin Deore, who had promised to marry the victim, repeatedly raped the girl in different lodges for over five months. The victim is also around 20 years old. The incident came to light when the girl became pregnant. When she was questioned by her mother, she confided in her about the rape. The victim’s mother immediately lodged a complaint with the Naupada police, following which the accused was arrested on Monday. According to the police, Deore is unemployed and was earlier working as a driver.